Cutting device



Nov. 16, 1965 H. L. HARRIS, JR. ETAL 3,217,580

CUTTING DEVICE Filed April 1) 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS "'/'|-\ENRY L. Hamzmfk Jess W. ANDREWS ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1965 H. L. HARRIS, JR.. ETAL 3,217,680

CUTTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1964 INVENORS BY Ea W Mm, WAR! f Pm aunimc L ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,217,680 CUTTING DEVICE Henry L. Harris, Jr., Galax, and Jess W. Andrews, Independence, Va., assignors to Harris-Marshall Hosiery Mills, Inc., Galax, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Apr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,412 4 Claims. (Cl. 112-252) This invention relates to a cutting device, and more particularly to a device adapted for use with sewing machines for cutting stitch or thread chains interconnecting fabric articles.

In the manufacture of many fabric articles in production quantities, such as hosiery and the like, the articles often undergo a seaming operation, in sequence, which results in the articles being interconnected by stitch or thread chains of various lengths. To complete the articles, these chains must be removed which previously involved a time consuming and costly operation. There has been developed in the prior art several types of devices suitable for use with sewing machines which utilize suction means for drawing such thread chain into a selected zone after the stitching operation, where they are severed by various kinds of cutters. Such prior art devices, however, have been found not to be entirely satisfactory in effectively severing such thread chains, without either interfering with the stitching or seaming operation, or causing damage to the articles.

This invention particularly is adapted for use in the manufacture of hosiery which is produced on circular knitting machines, thereby requiring a toe seaming operation to complete the article. In conventional practice, such articles are fed in succession into a sewing machine to perform the toe seaming operation, resulting in the hosiery being interconnected by thread chains. Without any means being provided on the sewing machine for severing such chains following the stitching operation, the hosiery normally would accumulate, which would require the time consuming and tedious operation of manually gathering the hosiery, locating the thread chains and cutting the same.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved device for cutting stitch or thread chain interconnecting fabric articles.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved device adapted for use with sewing machines for cutting stitch or thread chains interconnecting fabric articles following the stitching operation on the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved device for use with a sewing machine for cutting stitch chains interconnecting fabric articles having undergone a stitching operation on the machine which utilizes suction means for drawing the thread chains into a selected zone for severing the same.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device adapted for use with a sewing machine, for cutting thread chains interconnecting fabric articles having undergone a stitching operation on the machine, which will not interfere with the stitching operation or cause damage to the fabric article.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device adapted for use with a sewing machine for cutting thread chains interconnecting fabric articles having undergone a stitching operation, which does not require any additional guidance of the fabric articles by the machine operation after the stitching operation, to position the articles for the cutting operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device adapted for use with sewing machines for cutting thread chains, having no moving parts and which requires little if any modification for attaching the same to most conventional sewing machines.

3,217,68 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 2 A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device adapted for use with sewing machines for cutting thread chains interconnecting fabric articles, which has relatively few parts, is easy to assemble, and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons skilled in the art, from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention mounted on a conventional sewing machine;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged exploded view of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIGURE 4.

Briefly described, the present invention provides a device for cutting thread chains or the like from fabric articles, generally comprising a conduit member having an outlet end connectable with a suction means and a restricted inlet end for receiving therein the thread chains drawn into the conduit member when suction is supplied thereto. The conduit member is provided with openings disposed adjacent to the inlet end thereof. Extending through the openings across the interior of the conduit member is an electrical burner wire having a suitable electrical lead wire connected thereto. The electrical burner wire and the lead wire therefor are supported by a clip assembly which is mounted on the conduit member.

Referring to FIGURES l, 4 and 5, there is illustrated a conventional sewing machine 10, on which the present invention is adapted to be mounted. Included in the machine is a frame member 11 on which there is supported a needle plate 12, having a feed dog 13 operatively mounted therein for advancing the fabric article rearwardly in accordance with the conventional operation. Positioned above the needle plate 12 is a presser foot 14 engaged by a presser foot arm 15, which cooperates with the feed dog for receiving and guiding the fabric article rearwardly therehetween toward the stitching needle 16. The needle carrier assembly in FIGURE 1 has been omitted for the purpose of clarity. It will be understood, however, that the needle carrier assembly is mounted and operates in the conventional manner. Projecting laterally from the frame member 11 is a support platform 17, on which there is pivotally mounted a work plate 18 having a lower planar portion 19 and an upper planar portion 20 lying substantially in the same plane as the needle plate 12. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the inner edge of the upper planar portion 20 of the work plate is recessed, as at 21, to receive the needle plate 12. The lower planar portion 19 of the work plate also is recessed as at 22, disposed rearwardly of the recess 21, which accommodates the cutting device. The above mentioned components of the sewing machine generally are descriptive of a conventional sewing machine, such as the type manufactured by the Merrow Machine Company of Hartford, Connecticut, identified as Model No. M-4D45, and do not form any part of the present invention.

The cutting device 23 particularly is adapted for use with the type of conventional sewing machine described above, and comprises in its preferred embodiment a conduit 24, including a tubular section 25 and an inlet section 26. The inlet section 26 includes an outwardly flaring, upwardly and forwardly inclined bottom 27 merging with the tubular section 25 and an upwardly extending U-shaped wall 28 merging with the bottom wall 27 and the tubular section 24, to provide a top and front opening at the forward end of the conduit 24. Adapted to be positioned on the upper continuous edge of the wall 28 is a planar portion 29 of a shield member 30, to provide a transversely extending, restricted inlet 31, as best illustrated in FIGURE 5. The shield 30 further is provided with a raised planar portion 32 disposed rearwardly of the planar portion 29 and a depending portion 33, having suitable openings 34 for mounting the shield 30 on the frame of the sewing machine. The forward inward corner of the planar portion 29 of the shield is notched as at 35.

The conduit 24 is positioned on the sewing machine relative to the needle plate 12, so that the forward edge of the shield-30 is spaced slightly from the rearward edge of the needle plate, the top surface of the planar portion 29 of the shield is flush or coplanar with the top surface of the needle plate and the inner edge of the restricted inlet 31 is disposed slightly outward from the line of stitching. As illustrated best in FIGURES 4 and 5, the conduit member 24 is supported in such position by means of an angle bracket 36, secured to the support platform 17 by means of suitable screws or bolts 37. The tubular section 25 of the conduit member is supported on the horizontal portion 38 of the angle bracket and is rigidly secured thereto by means of a suitable clamping member 39.

As best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the U-shaped wall 28 of the inlet section 26 is provided with a pair of transversely aligned recesses 40 and 41, which are adapted to receive therethrough the cutting element of the device, consisting of an electrical resistance wire 42. The notches 40 and 41 are disposed adjacent the forward edge of the inlet section 26, so that the electrical resistance wire 42, defining a burner element when heated to incandescence, will lie in the path of thread chains drawn through the restricted inlet, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Disposed rearwardly of the U-shaped wall 28 is a preferably metallic clip assembly 43, consisting of an arcuate section 44 adapted to be clipped onto the tubular section 24, an arm portion 45 extending forwardly and outwardly along a portion of the U-shaped wall 28, which supports one end of the resistance wire 24, and provides a ground therefor, and an arm portion 46 also extending forwardly and outwardly along the opposite side of the inlet section, having a clamping portion 47 for supporting an electrically conducting element 48. The element 48 is crimped at the forward end thereof to support the opposite end of the resistance wire 42 and is connected at the opposite end thereof to an electrical lead line 49 which is adapted to be connected to a suitable electrical supply source. The element 48 also is insulated from the metallic clamp portion 47 by means of an insulating strip St). The arm portions 45 and 46 are adapted to maintain the resistance wire 42 in position, extending through the notches 4t and 41 and across the interior of the inlet for the conduit member 24.

The opposite end of the conduit 24 defines an outlet and is adapted to be provided with a line 51, which is connected with a suction source. When suction is applied to the conduit 24, it will be appreciated that thread chains positioned adjacent the restricted inlet 31 will be drawn into the inlet section 26 and engaged by the heated resistance wire 42.

In operation, after suction has been applied to the conduit and the resistance wire 42 has been heated to incandescence, the fabric articles to be stitched are guided between the needle plate 12 and the presser foot 14, while the remaining portion of the article is supported on and moved along the work plate 18. As the stitched articles moves rearwardly from the needle plate and the next successive article is fed into the machine, a thread chain will be formed adjacent the restricted inlet of the cutting device, which will be drawn into the inlet section 26 in contact with the resistance wire 42. The stitch chain is severed by burning while the article continues to move rearwardly over the top surface of the shield 30 and the,

4 lower planar portion 13 of the work plate. It will be appreciated that the notched portion 35 of the top portion 29 of the shield member accommodates the insertion of the thread chain into the restricted inlet 31.

The resistance wire 42 can be positioned at any distance desired from the forward edge of the inlet section 26. Also, the position of the device can be adjusted transversely and vertically relative to the line of stitching as may be desired. It is preferred, however, that the device is positioned as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The inlet section of the device can be formed by any suitable means to provide a transversely extending, restricted opening. It is possible that the inlet section can be formed simply by deforming an end portion of a tubular member. However, it is preferred to provide a separate cover or shield member, as described. The burner element utilized with the invention can be constructed of any suitable material which can be heated to a sufiicient temperature to sever by burning a fabric material instantaneously upon contact. A material such as tungsten, heated to incandescence, has been found suitable for this purpose. The other components of the device also may be constructed of any suitable materials, although if materials other than electrically conducting materials are used for the conduit and the clip assembly, the eletrical resistance wire will have to be grounded on another suitable part of the machine.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A device for cutting thread chains or the like from articles comprising a body member having a tubular section and an inlet section including an outwardly flaring upwardly inclined bottom wall merging with said tubular section and an upwardly extending, forwardly opening, substantially U-shaped wall merging with said bottom wall and said tubular section, a cover member disposed on said upwardly extending wall of said inlet section to provide a transversely extending opening in said body member defining a restricted inlet, said upwardly extending wall of said inlet section having a pair of transversely aligned openings disposed adjacent said restricted inlet, an electrical resistance wire extending through said openings across the interior of said inlet section and lying in the path of thread chains drawn into the device through said restricted inlet when the opposite end of said body member is connected to a suction means, said electrical resistance wire having an electrical lead wire connected thereto and a clip assembly mounted on said tubular section adjacent said inlet section for supporting said electrical resistance wire and said electrical lead wire.

2. A device for cutting thread chains or the like from artlcles comprising a body member having a tubular sectron and an inlet section including an outwardly flaring upwardly inclined bottom wall merging with said tubular section and an upwardly extending, forwardly opening, substantially U-shaped wall merging with said bottom wall and said tubular section, said upwardly extending wall of said inlet section having a pair of transversely aligned notches disposed adjacent the free end of said inlet section, a clip assembly including an arcuate section mounted on the tubular section of said body member disposed adjacent said upwardly extending wall and arm portions extending forwardly from said arcuate section adjacent the forwardly extending portions of said upwardly extending wall, an electrical lead wire secured to one of said arm portions of said clip assembly, an electrical resistance wire supported by said electrical lead wire and the opposite, arm portion of said clip assembly disposed within said aligned notches and extending across said inlet section and cover means for said inlet section to provide a restricted inlet at the free end thereof for drawing the thread chains into said inlet section of said body member when the opposite end of said body member is connected to suction means.

3. In a sewing machine of the type having a needle plate, a presser foot cooperating with the needle plate to receive and guide an article to be stitched therebetween and a work plate having a portion thereof lying substantially in the same plane as the needle plate and being recessed rearwardly relative to said needle plate, mounted on a support platform secured to said machine, a device for cutting stitch chains or the like from said articles being guided between said needle plate and said presser foot comprising a body member disposed in said recess of said work plate mounted on said machine having a tubular section and an inlet section at the forward end thereof including an outwardly flaring, upwardly inclined bottom wall merging with said tubular section and an upwardly extending, forwardly opening, substantially U- shaped wall merging with said bottom wall and said tubular section, a cover member disposed on said upwardly extending wall of said inlet section to provide a transversely extending opening at the forward end of said body member defining a restricted inlet, said restricted inlet lying adjacent to said needle plate and slightly below the plane of said needle plate, said upwardly extending Wall of said inlet section having a pair of transversely aligned openings disposed adjacent said restricted inlet, an electrical resistance wire extending through said openings across the interior of said inlet section and lying in the path of stitch chains drawn into the device through said restricted inlet when the opposite end of said body member is connected to a suction means and said articles are guided :between said needle plate and said presser foot during a stitching operation, said electrical resistance wire having an electrical lead wire connected thereto and a clip assembly mounted on said tubular section adjacent said inlet section for supporting said electrical resistance wire and said electrical lead wire.

4. In a sewing machine of the type having a needle plate, a presser foot cooperating with the needle plate to receive and guide an article to be stitched therebetween and a work plate having a portion thereof lying substantially in the same plane as the needle plate and a recessed portion disposed rearwardly of said needle plate, mounted on a support platform secured to said machine, a device for cutting thread chains or the like from said articles comprising a body member disposed in said recessed portion of said work plate attached to said machine having a tubular section having a forwardly disposed inlet section including an outwardly flaring, upwardly inclined bottom wall merging with said tubular section and an upwardly extending substantially U-shaped wall merging with said bottom wall and said tubular section, a cover member disposed on said upwardly extending U-shaped wall lying substantially in the plane of said work plate to provide a transversely extending narrow opening at the forward end of said device defining a restricted inlet disposed adjacent to said needle plate and slightly below the plane of said needle plate, said upwardly extending wall of said inlet section having a pair of transversely aligned notches disposed adjacent the free end of said inlet section, a clip assembly including an arcuate section mounted on the tubular section of said body member disposed adjacent said upwardly extending wall and arm portions extending forwardly from said arcuate section adjacent the forwardly extending portions of said upwardly extending Wall, and an electrical lead wire secured to one of said arm portions of said clip assembly, an electrical resistance wire supported by said electrical lead wire and the opposite arm of said clip assembly disposed within said aligned notches across said inlet section in the path of thread chains drawn into the inlet section when suction is applied to the device.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,058,438 10/ 1962 Russell. 3,084,647 4/ 1963 Matchett 112-252 3,109,399 11/1963 Hornberger. 3,125,052 3/1964 Spivey 112-252 3,142,279 7/1964 Rubin 112252 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT V. SLOAN, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR CUTTING THREAD CHAINS OR THE LIKE FROM ARTICLES COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING A TUBULAR SECTION AND AN INLET SECTION INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY FLARING UPWARDLY INCLINED BOTTOM WALL MERGING WITH SAID TUBULAR SECTION AND AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING, FORWARDLY OPENING, SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED WALL MERGING WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL AND SAID TUBULAR SECTION, A COVER MEMBER DISPOSED ON SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING WALL OF SAID INLET SECTION TO PROVIDE A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING OPENING IN SAID BODY MEMBER DEFINING A RESTRICTED INLET, SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING WALL OF SAID INLET SECTION HAVING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED OPENINGS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID RESTRICTED INLET, AN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE WIRE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS ACROSS THE INTERIOR OF SAID INLET SECTION AND LYING IN THE PATH OF THREAD CHAINS DRAWN INTO THE DEVICE THROUGH SAID RESTRICTED INLET WHEN THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER IS CONNECTED TO A SUCTION MEANS, SAID ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE WIRE HAVING AN ELECTRICAL LEAD WIRE CONNECTED THERETO AND A CLIP ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR SECTION ADJACENT SAID INLET SECTION FOR SUPPORTING SAID ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE WIRE AND SAID ELECTRICAL LEAD WIRE. 